Drawing upon decades of experience, RAND provides research services, systematic analysis, and innovative thinking to a global clientele that includes government agencies, foundations, and private-sector firms.

The Pardee RAND Graduate School (PRGS.edu) is the largest public policy Ph.D. program in the nation and the only program based at an independent public policy research organization—the RAND Corporation.

Overview

Paul DeLuca is a senior engineer at the RAND Corporation. He focuses on technology issues for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, SOCOM, U.S. Air Force, and Australian DoD. His recent research includes a series of analyses of alternatives for the Special Operations community and the U.S. Coast Guard. Other study topics include an analysis of methods to sustain nuclear submarine design skills in the United States, implementing open architecture systems within the AEGIS combat system, and exploring options for improved air-naval cooperation.

Prior to joining RAND, DeLuca worked as the director of engineering for Kopin Corp's optical device group. He has experience in crystal growth of nanometer scale electronic materials and holds several patents related to GaAs and GaN devices. As a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, DeLuca served five years in the submarine community.

DeLuca holds a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from Northwestern University.

The U.S. Navy has enjoyed the luxury of being able to transit the Suez Canal without hindrance for decades. However, the risk of losing access — perhaps quickly and unexpectedly — should inform Navy strategic and operational planning.

Discussion about China's military modernization has included little comparative analysis of Chinese and U.S. military capabilities. This brief focuses on improvements to China's ability to disrupt or degrade U.S. operations by attacking air bases.

Discussion about China's military modernization has included little comparative analysis of Chinese and U.S. military capabilities. This brief focuses on improvements to China's ability to target U.S. surface ships, especially aircraft carriers.

Discussion about China's military modernization has focused on new weapon systems, with little comparative analysis of Chinese and U.S. military forces and development. This brief summarizes a RAND Project AIR FORCE study that seeks to fill this gap.

Discussion about China's military modernization has included little comparative analysis of Chinese and U.S. military capabilities. This brief focuses on improvements to China's ability to contest U.S. air superiority in an Asian conflict.

A RAND study analyzed trends in the development of Chinese and U.S. military capabilities in two scenarios (centered on Taiwan and the Spratly Islands) and multiple types of operations from 1996 to 2017.

The U.S. Air Force is facing a number of challenges as a result of the current defense budget downturn. RAND examined the challenge of modernizing the Air Force's aircraft fleet while trying to sustain the industrial base with limited funding.

To reduce costs and take advantage of commercial technology, the U.S. Navy is pursuing open-architecture software and other improvements to its Aegis combat system. This report examines the potential benefits and challenges of this new approach.

An assessment of the maritime component of a series of historical and ongoing operations reveals that current notions of irregular warfare would benefit from increased recognition of potential maritime contributions to such campaigns.

To design a new naval submarine domestically, Australia's industry and Government will need about 1,000 skilled draftsmen and engineers. Cultivating this workforce could take 15-20 years; partnering with foreign designers could expedite the process.

Assesses the domestic engineering and design skills that Australian industry and government will need to design a new submarine, identifies the skills they currently possess, and evaluates how best to fill any gaps between the two.

Given a lack of demand for nuclear submarine design resources in the near future, workforce and workload management options are analyzed to suggest ways to constrain the cost, schedule, and risk involved in the design of the next submarine class.

This research brief summarizes an analysis of workforce and workload management options to suggest ways to constrain the cost, schedule, and risk involved in the design of the U.S. Navy's next nuclear submarine class.

Given a lack of demand for nuclear submarine design resources in the near future, workforce and workload management options are analyzed to suggest ways to constrain the cost, schedule, and risk involved in the design of the next submarine class.

Related RAND Resources

The RAND Corporation is a research organization that develops solutions to public policy challenges to help make communities throughout the world safer and more secure, healthier and more prosperous. RAND is nonprofit, nonpartisan, and committed to the public interest.